Everbound: The Kindred #3 by Donna Grant

Donna Grant returns to the blog today with the third in The Kindred Series, medieval, magical and narrated by Louisa Jane Underwood.

Everbound

Overriding this whole plot is the search for the bones of the First Witch. Important for so many reasons and a driving factor for this series, and bringing us a connecting thread that ties the tale together. But, even with that information, it is the character development and relationships that underpin this series and are easy to follow, providing intrigue and entertainment. That being said, having the experience of reading (or listening to) the series in order will give a fuller sense of the world and the dangers it contains. But for now, we have Helena: trying to stay alive and off the radar of Hunters, Coven and Varroki – so she’s not using her magic, moving stealthily and always second-guessing every move. Her overwhelming desire (and mission, if you will) is to end the Coven and bring a sense of peace to the world and security to humanity. She’s got plenty on her shoulders and it’s not necessarily easy being her: but with her strength, determination and fierceness – Helena is up to the challenge.

And then she is discovered by Jarin, a Varroki and one who she’s been ducking for ages. Jarin is instantly intrigued by the fierce and strong Helena, and while it would be easy for him to jump in all alpha and start commanding – but he doesn’t. He listens, He observes, and allows Helena to explain her position and choices, and gets a fuller picture of the whole challenge she’s faced, and the consequences of the same. These two were wonderfully portrayed with their moments of conflict, jockeying for position, and even the growing affections for one another. Throughout the multiple twists and turns, a huge ‘wow’ moment and a mission left unfinished (and thus a cliffhanger) the tale is hard to put down and even more intriguing in the whole ‘progression’ of the series. New characters, a twist that may redefine the original quest and more questions unanswered leave the opportunity for a next book at Must Have.

Narration for this story is provided by Louisa Jane Underwood, my second encounter with this narrator. Clear and concise presentation of the words, dialogue and action, with distinction evident in the different female characters. Again, however, I was disappointed with the lack of distinction given to male character voices: they were very similar to one another as well as less recognizable as a male’s perspective. With all of the action and twists, the newly introduced characters and unexpected changes, more distinct and recognizable differences in characters would have made the listen easier to follow along with clear understanding. And that was a challenge – not all caused by the narrative issue but the rapid-fire twists and turns that seemed to veer the plot and mission off into another direction. Intriguing, entertaining and feeling very ‘classic Grant” in the end, the story is one to follow with more to come.

The power of Helena’s magic has made her a target for the Coven. She wanted no part in the war of the witches, but it’s out of her hands now. She has to make a stand--and she does that by helping the Hunters and their allies against their common enemy. And now, the witch who ripped Helena’s future apart is coming. Sybbyl’s vengeance is swift and terrible, pitting the two against each other. But Helena doesn’t have to fight the Coven alone. A seductive warlock offers his aid. Helena is hesitant to give her trust to him--because it’s more than her life on the line. It’s her heart, as well.

As the most feared and respected warrior of the Varroki, Jarin is used to being on his own. But with the Coven’s quest to find the bones of the First Witch escalating, he finds it increasingly difficult to retain his solitary existence. When Jarin encounters Helena, he is helpless to resist her. She’s everything he didn’t know he wanted and so much more, and with her help, he’s convinced that maybe his people can finally defeat their foe. But there’s so much more at play than they know—ties in blood and sacrifice—and the loss that’s sure to follow may be greater than any of them can bear.

A copy of this title was provided via Recorded Books for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

About Donna Grant

Donna Grant is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels and novellas spanning multiple genres of romance.

She was born and raised in Texas but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica, Mexico, and Scotland. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna’s Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding.

Her childhood dream was to become a professional ballet dancer and study under the amazing Mikhail Baryshnikov. Though she never got to meet Baryshnikov, she did make it to New York City and performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Later, Donna’s love of the romance genre and the constant stories running through her head prompted her to sit down and write her first book. Once that book was completed, there was no turning back.

Despite the deadlines and her voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two young children, four cats, three fish, and one long haired Chihuahua. She’s blessed with a proud, supportive husband who loves to read and travel as much as she does.